Liga Mundo Season 19
Liga Mundo Season 19 ran from February 20, 2014 to June 22, 2014. After forced to play half the previous season ground-sharing with the Transvaal Springboks at Loftus Versfeld due to circumstances arising from the Disorder War, Liga Mundo champions Dynamo Dorpat returned home to their newly-built Imperial Nordic Arena in Dorpat for the start of Season 19. There were also club and management changes and a slight reduction by two teams during the pre-season - as three new clubs joined the Tercera Liga as expansion teams while one existing team was renamed and five clubs without management were folded by the league authorities. Southside FC joined on February 10, 2014. The following day, London Qwoppers were renamed Norway Doges. Karachi United FC and TNFR Twilight Titans FC joined as expansion teams on February 12, 2014. Later that same day, Keville United FC, Atlético Melloria, Firedog SC, Atlético Nacional, and Vasuda Blue Wings folded and were disbanded by the league as Season 19 went ahead with 27 member clubs. For Keville United FC it was the conclusion of 14 seasons in Liga Mundo while Atlético Melloria had 13 seasons to their name. Both teams had made brief forays into the Primera Liga but had fallen on hard times in recent seasons. Firedog SC was a more recent newcomer to the league with 6 seasons but had been making steady progress into the Segunda Liga before closing down. The seasonal Copa Del Mar, El Invierno Clásico, and Gloria de Verano open cup tournaments were officially retired the successful inauguration of the UCFA Champions Cup during the previous season. Final Standings insert table Regular Season Primera Liga insert chart Statistics Leaders insert table All-Star Team insert table Segunda Liga insert chart Statistics Leaders insert table All-Star Team insert table Tercera Liga insert chart Statistics Leaders insert table All-Star Team insert table Costa Libertad Trophy (Team of the Month) The Costa Libertad Trophy for the Liga Mundo Team of the Month was inaugurated on June 1, 2012 as a team achievement award for all Liga Mundo teams. The trophy is named in honour of the former Cybernation Costa Libertad - which was the home of Liga Mundo's founder PremierApex. Retirements & Departures *'Kanyovu Chelba' (Transvaal Springboks / Syracuse Salty Dogs / Skagafjörður Nords AFC) - forward, age 25. Promoted from their junior team in Season 11, Chelba played 5 games in one season with the Transvaal Springboks. He was sold to Syracuse Salty Dogs in the off-season and appeared in 39 matches over the next 5 seasons. In Season 17, he became a member of Skagafjörður Nords AFC. He played in a further 11 games in the next two seasons. He was sold on transfers for $1,590,036 on March 21, 2014. In total, he scored 18 goals and 28 points in 55 games during his Liga Mundo career. *'Gamrí di María Florés' (Atlético Luz Del Mar / Marseille FC) forward, aged 33. Florés was a fixture of the famous Los Niños offense from Season 4 through into Season 13. He then remained with the club when it became Marseille FC until he was sold on transfers early in Season 19 on March 24, 2014. Blessed with lightning speed, a deadly accurate foot on the set plays, and smarts around the goal crease, Florés terrorised goalkeepers in Liga Mundo for 16 seasons. His strongest campaign came during Season 11 when he scored 18 goals 23 points in 27 matches and helped lead the club to its first and so far only Copa Cato IV cup championship. He won his only Liga Mundo championship in his rookie season. In all, Gamrí di María Florés appeared in 273 matches, scoring 152 goals and 40 assists for a total of 192 points. He was named to 39 X11 Team selections. Florés chalked up numerous achievements in the league scoring charts: 2nd in goals and 5th in points in Season 6; 4th in goals and 3rd in points in Season 9; Tied for 1st in goals and points in Season 10; 2nd in goals and points in Season 11; 5th in goals in Season 12; 1st in goals and points in the Segunda Liga during Season 14; and 3rd in goals and 5th in points in Season 16. He was named to the Primera All-Star Team in Seasons 6, 9, 10, and 12 as well as the Segunda All-Star Team the following season. *'Tezcacoatl Palamíñho' (Atlético Luz Del Mar / Marseille FC) midfielder, age 32. Palamíñho played in 291 games, third-most in the histiry of the club. He scored 29 goals and a total of 108 points, placing him fifth in all-time scoring in the club history books. With a role becoming as a supporting midfielder, his best seasons for production came during a four-season period from Season 6 through Season 9, when he became an assists leader. He finished tied 3rd in assists (5), tied 1st in assists (6), tied 4th in assists (5), and tied 1st in assists (5) in sequence during those respective seasons. During Season 14, while the team was playing in the Segunda Liga, he finished tied for 5th in assists (4) in a renaissance season. Season 16, and with the club now returned to the Primera Liga, he finished the season tied 3rd in assists (6). Palamíñho was sold on transfers for $3,344,040 on March 30, 2014. Notable Transfers insert text League MVP insert text All-Liga Mundo All-Star Team insert chart Career Milestones 300 games *'Patrizio Blundetto' (Clube Atlético Santos) - played 300th match on February 24, 2014 *'Bodo Kreuzer' (Dynamo Dorpat) - played 300th match on April 17, 2014 200 games *'Anton Delanoue' (Swamplandia Sinners) - played 200th match on February 24, 2014 *'Rich Steele' (RMI Armed Forces FC) - played 200th match on February 24, 2014 *'Kaarel Kruuv' (Dynamo Dorpat) - played 200th match on March 6, 2014 *'Jim Shearer' (Clube Atlético Santos) - played 200th match on March 10, 2014 *'Mark Blankenship' (VolNation Volunteers) - played 200th match on March 20, 2014 *'Koskel Lutsu' (Dynamo Dorpat) - played 200th match on March 24, 2014 *'Venda Loiku' (Dynamo Dorpat) - played 200th match on March 31, 2014 *'Bernt-Åke Godmo' (Dynamo Dorpat) - played 200th match on April 3, 2014 *'Phillip Quinton' (Swamplandia Sinners) - played 200th match on April 3, 2014 *'Aidan McGowan' (Debate Land Orators) - played 200th match on April 17, 2014 Manager of the Season insert text Copa Cato XII First Round Matches played on February 24 and March 3, 2014 *Dynamo Dorpat defeated Karachi United FC (3-0; 6-0) *Transvaal Springboks defeated TNFR Twilight Titans FC (5-2; 5-0) *Guajolotes defeated Southside FC (3-0; 5-0) *Clachnacuddin defeated AFC Merry Men (3-0; 4-3) *Swamplandia Sinners defeated Gopher City Pippas FC (2-0; 1-1) *Debate Land Orators defeated Norway Doges (7-0; 7-0) *FC Konkrage defeated Plymouth City FC (1-2; 2-0) *Bethlehem FC defeated Estrella Roja (2-1; 3-1) *The Fighting Sherms defeated Skagafjörður Nords AFC (0-0; 5-0) *Clube Atlético Santos defeated Nordheim Badgers FC (3-0; 1-2) Second Round Matches played on March 10 and March 17, 2014 *Clube Atlético Santos defeated VolNation Volunteers (1-0; 1-1) *Templar United defeated River Plate (3-1; 2-0) *The Fighting Sherms defeated Marseille FC (5-0; 0-2) *Ashie Road 11 defeated Bethlehem FC (1-5; 4-0) *Ocean´s Gold defeated FC Konkrage (2-0; 3-1) *Dynamo Dorpat defeated Debate Land Orators (2-1; 2-0) *Transvaal Springboks defeated Swamplandia Sinners (1-3; 2-0) *Guajolotes defeated Clachnacuddin (3-1; 1-0) Quarter-Finals Matches played on March 24 and March 31, 2014 *Transvaal Springboks defeated Templar United (3-0; 1-4) *Ocean´s Gold defeated Ashie Road 11 (3-1; 2-0) *Dynamo Dorpat defeated The Fighting Sherms (2-1; 4-0) *Guajolotes defeated Clube Atlético Santos (3-1; 0-1) Semi-Finals Matches played on April 7 and April 14, 2014 *Guajolotes defeated Ocean´s Gold (1-1; 2-0) *Transvaal Springboks defeated Dynamo Dorpat (1-3; 1-3 3-0 PK) Copa Cato XII Finals Matches played on April 21 and April 28, 2014 *final UCFA Champions Cup II First Round insert results Second Round insert results Quarter-Finals insert results Semi-Finals insert results Cup Finals insert results Challenge Cup competitions Inverness Cup III Friendly matches played on April 7, 2014 and ??? *Clachnacuddin vs. Ashie Road APRIL 7, 2014 - Inverness Cup - First Leg At Clach Park Clachnacuddin 5; Ashie Road 0 It was a perfect evening for football, bright cold and windless. Cup holders Ashie Road turned up full of confidence and even brought some fans with them this time, a heavy police presence ensured there was no trouble between the rival supporters. Ashie Road lined up in a 4-5-1 formation and almost caught Clach cold straight from the kick-off, an ambitious chip from Simas striking the angle of the goal with Khadduri stranded , Clach broke quickly and went straight up the park, a quick passing move ending in a fine save from Ashie Road captain Marcelino Sanchez. Ashie Road midfielder Connery was up to his usual cheating, tripping over his own boot laces and screaming for free kicks, an argument ensued between Stevie Mackettrick and the ref which resulted in the Clach midfielder picking up a yellow card in the 10th minute. Clach were rattled by this and four minutes later Ashie's Ademar Maranhojo smashed a powerful drive into the crossbar. The Lilys began to press the game further up the pitch, dominating possession , another save from a Slattery shot in the 20th minute and Ashie Road were beginning to look vulnerable. The opening goal was bizarre, a harmless looking cross was floated in by Redford, with nobody near him Ashie Road defender Christopher Stoned smashed a half volley into the top corner of the net, it wasn't until he was half way down the pitch in his celebratory sprint that he realised he had scored an own goal, his name says it all really. Three minutes later , 2-0 . 19 year old MacKettrick scores a sublime flick header from an inch perfect Ailean Forsyth cross, his first goal for Clach. More Clach pressure, another save from an Anselmo Ametrano header was quickly followed by the third goal from Clach captain Bob Judge, side-footing into an empty net after a slide rule pass by Brendan Slattery. Half time Clachnacuddin 3 Ashie Road 0 The away changing room at half time was an unhappy place, Rolfaddict could be heard screaming and hollering at his players, they came back out really fired up, so much so that they conceded a goal after 48 seconds of the re-start. Slattery this time getting on the score sheet heading in from Zigandas cross. Rolfaddict took exception to Clach manager Wigham's elaborate and taunting celebration in front of the away dugout and was seen to " push him away with his head " shouting " feck of back to England ya wee shite " A brawl broke out between both benches and several players, when it all calmed down Rolfaddict was sent to the naughty chair up in the stand, Wigham got away with a slight telling off and a letter to take home to his parents. Thus followed Ashie Roads best spell of the game and they twice went close to scoring, Ike Payne and Connery both perhaps unfortunate not to. The 69th minute of the match saw the away support streaming out of the ground as a stuning volley from the excellent Fulvio Ziganda made it 5-0 to Clach, yet again Brendan Slattery was the provider after dancing through 6 desperate and pathetic tackles from Ashie Roads back line. The game was dead and with little to do, Clachnacuddin keeper Badra Khadduri fell asleep leaning on his post, third choice goalie Ruud Metsen replaced him in the 75th minute and was also seen sleeping before the end. At the final whistle Clach players were happy but subdued in their celebration, they know it is only half way in this final. Wigham rewarded his squad with a crate of Buckfast tonic wine and a slap up meal at KFC. Press Releases & Previews insert text Team Pages *Estrella Roja *Gopher City Pippas FC *Guajolotes *Transvaal Springboks Related nation and member pages *VolNation *Cataduanes Free State *Gopherbashi *Transvaal (Botha)